Anaheim protests continue with nine people arrested

Anaheim
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Protests are continuing in Anaheim over the two recent officer-involved shootings that left two residents dead. At least nine arrests were made on Sunday.

Orange County Police arrested at least nine people, as they pushed protesters back during a street protest in outrage over the two officer-involved shootings of Manuel Diaz on July 21 and Joel Acevedo on July 22.

On Sunday, between 200 and 350 people gathered outside the Anaheim police headquarters, condemning the police, chanting slogans and taking over a parking lot, where they drew outlines of bodies.

Sgt. Bob Dunn from the Anaheim police department said that initially, the protest was orderly and peaceful, but then "there was a push by a few in the group to get things more agitated."

Police arrest protesters in Anaheim on July 29, 2012.

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Protesters chanted, "The whole system is guilty" and "Am I next?" according to the LA Times.

The demonstrators then started a march towards Disneyland. However, 50 police officers wearing riot gear, and around two dozen officers on horseback, prevented their movement to the theme park. This image apparently shows riot police guarding Disneyland.

Then, according to the Orange County Register, the crowd started chanting, "Why can't we go to Disneyland? You're protecting the city, not your people."

“The pics from #anaheim are disgusting, how much firepower does one need against unarmed civilians?”, one eyewitness tweeted.

Tweet about protest in Anaheim on July 29, 2012.

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According to local media many of the demonstrators were from outside Anaheim and were part of the Occupy movement.

Some of those arrested have already been released. Orange County reporter, Amber Stephens tweets that for those in custody, “APD are trying to trump up charges because man arrested tweeted while in cuffs.”

Family members of those killed by police officers, together with organizers of the rally, had earlier voice their request for a peaceful demonstration, in an effort to avoid a repeat of Tuesday's events, where police used rubber bullets to disperse a 1,000-strong crowd who threw rocks and bricks at the police.

Authorities are apparently investigating the fatalities, to determine if civil rights infringement investigations are warranted.